Two robotics teams from the district had the honor of competing in the Vex IQ Southern New York State Vex Robotics Championship in New York City. 

A combined seventh- and eighth-grade team comprised of Nicholas Alter, Andrew Calise, Everett Gamache, Peter Kaplan, Jordan Lu, John O’Hanlon and Louis Perri qualified for the event early in the school year by stunning the competition in the first meet of the season. 

The second team is comprised of sixth-grade Rhame Avenue Elementary School students Zachary Arnold, Alex Calise, Michael Cambridge and Jeremy Carman. This was the first time the East Rockaway Middle School Robotics Team had a rookie elementary school team qualify for a state championship. The team qualified for the competition by consistently improving their driving and programming skills throughout the season. Their perseverance certainly paid off, as they finished in 15th place overall out of the best teams in the region.  

Mr. Nick Cimorelli and Mrs. Michelle Healy, who coach the elementary team, are very proud of this accomplishment, and the perseverance of all students in the club who continued to work collaboratively and improve their robots throughout the competition season. They look forward to continued success next year.